Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 edition. Excerpt: ... martyrdom of abbot blathmac. 213 and the shrine of the saint was deposited in the new church, built of stone. But it was not long before they were overtaken by fresh disasters, at the hands of their old enemies. In the year 825 Fresh Danish the Danes again attacked the monastery, which attack, was at this time presided over by the pious Blathmac. Walafrid Strabo, his contemporary and biographer, tells us that he was a man of illustri-Martyrdom ous family, who early in life had renounced world-Blathmac. ly honours and wealth, and embraced the religious state. On the approach of the Danish hordes, he summoned the brethren, and addressed them in the true martyr spirit. "Seek, my comrades, within your own minds, whether it be your determination to endure with me the coming fate, for the name of Christ. Whoever of you can face it, I pray you arm yourselves with courage." No consideration would induce him to guide the rapacious pirates to the spot where the precious shrine of St Columba was concealed. "Where the gold which you seek," he said, "may be hidden, I know not; but if it were permitted to me to know, never would the secret pass my lips."1 He was instantly cut to pieces. In the year 829, Abbot Diarmaid, who appears abbot to have meanwhile returned to Ireland, brought 1 Walafrid Strab., Vita S. Blaitmaici (Migne, cxiv. 1046). "Ingerit: Ignore penitns quod quaeritis anmm Quo sit humi positum, tectum quibus atque latebris. Quod si scire mihi, Christo admittente, liceret, Nunquam nostra tuis hoc auribus ora referrent. Barbare, due gladios, capulum cape, jamque trucida." back to Iona the Mionna of St Columba. The word Mionna, according to Dr Reeves,1 signifies articles of veneration, such as the crosier, books, or vestment of a saint, upon...
